After an initial evaluation of eBay, my group found that while searching and purchasing an item is a relatively simple and straightforward process, selling an item can be overwhelming and could deter older audience engagement. Hence, our group, took on the task of evaluating and providing recommendations regarding the selling processes for this site, specifically with the older adult audience in mind.

Contribution:

i was a team member on this project, and contributed to all aspects of the project including a literature review, survey/focus group protocol design, and accessibility evaluation.

Process:

First, we conducted a literature review to get a better understanding of our user, older adults (65 years and older). We discovered several studies that examined how older adults behave and interact with technology. We also learned more about what types of physical limitations might be present within this population, like lowered visual acuity and decreased motor capability.
We then evaluated the eBay selling pages using the Functional Accessibility Evaluator (FAE) and discovered the biggest offenses in accessibility came from the informative and decorative images.
We then had the opportunity to involve 5 older adult participants in a questionnaire and focus group study. These studies suggested that there are 2 areas, visual appearance and organizational layout, that can be improved to create a better user experience for older adults.View the Final Report